A Couple Dumbasses Courting
by Takara Phoenix
Summary: Tony always thought that Clint was a huge fan of AC/DC. That's why he always stayed in the lab, regardless of how loud Tony's music was, even when others had long since fled the scene. Now, he learns that that's not entirely true. Or, well, not at all actually. Clint/Tony slash


Marvel || IronHawk || Marvel || A Couple Dumbasses Courting || Marvel || IronHawk || Marvel

Title: A Couple Dumbasses Courting – Learning Curve

Fandom: Marvel

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Marvel Comics for the creation of some of the most awesome heroes ever. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: m/m, fluff, pining, oblivious idiots, deaf Clint, canon divergent (not compliant with _Age of Ultron_ and _Ant-Man_)

Main Pairing: Clint/Tony

Marvel Characters: Anthony 'Tony' Stark, Clinton 'Clint' Barton, Natasha Romanova, Bruce Banner, Steven 'Steve' Rogers, Samuel 'Sam' Wilson, Hope van Dyne

Summary: Tony always thought that Clint was a huge fan of AC/DC. That's why he always stayed in the lab, regardless of how loud Tony's music was, even when others had long since fled the scene. Now, he learns that that's not _entirely_ true. Or, well, not at all actually.

**A Couple Dumbasses Courting**

_Learning Curve_

Tony was used to working alone in the workshop. Even now that all of the Avengers shared a living space. Usually when Tony really got lost in his work, the others would flee. Tony knew mostly they were down there to give him company. Most of the things they did down there could be done anywhere in the compound, but the true purpose was to _spend time with Tony_.

The compound that Tony had designed, where the Avengers had relocated after a Hydra agent had put horrifying images into the head of a scientist named Hank Pym, resulting in a dangerous killer robot named Ultron. The Avengers had taken it out and had arrested the two Hydra agents.

In the wake of it all, they had moved places. Had moved into the compound and were currently working on expanding the Avengers. The team of six that had started out, well, the world needed more heroes than a ragtag team of six people.

The first addition had been Rhodey, through Tony.

Then, with the fall of SHIELD, Sam Wilson joined them. Well, together with all left-over trustworthy SHIELD agents and Maria Hill, who coordinated the agents now.

The latest addition had been Hope van Dyne, daughter to Hank Pym. She had been the one to alert the Avengers early on – despite her father's hatred for the Starks (a reason why Ultron had been born, because the delusions the witch had put in Pym's mind had made him afraid of a world where Tony Stark and the Avengers turned on everyone, resulting in a very faulty security program).

Hope was not her father. Tony knew what it felt like to stand in the shadow of one's father. She was a brilliant woman who had opposed her father on many occasions. She used a suit that shrank and could fly, giving the Avengers additional aerial support.

They all integrated well into the team and the team tried to spend time with each other outside of missions and training, to bond, to form trust and to truly learn each other's ways. The others knew Tony was a busy man though, he had more than just the Avengers – he still had Stark Industries to work for and take care of and he took to upgrading most weapons and suits for the Avengers himself, trusting no one but his own capable hands to make sure his team was safe. So the other Avengers knew that bonding time with Tony was best achieved by joining him in the lab.

Sometimes, Steve would sit on the couch in the corner and draw.

Bruce was a regular down here, working with Tony on multiple projects.

The same went for Hope, who preferred to update her suit and stings herself.

What Natasha did – well, Tony wasn't entirely sure, but she was there occasionally too.

Even Sam spent quite some time down here, ever since Tony had upgraded Red Wing and installed a simplistic AI that gave the robot enough personality (enough to befriend Dum-E).

But once Tony really got into his work though, blasting his music at top volume, most would leave the lab and leave him to it. Tony wasn't sure if it was consideration because they didn't want to disturb him when he was truly concentrated, or if it really was the loud music.

There was only _one_ person who always stayed. And while Tony appreciated that the others were considerate, he really enjoyed having someone who'd always stick around. And that person was Clint. He'd usually be down at the workshop to tinker with his arrows. He had a vast array of trick arrows and special arrows, most of which Clint had either designed or even built himself.

At one point, Tony started to suspect that maybe Clint simply shared his passion for AC/DC. He knew for a fact that it was that band in particular that chased Bruce away. Too aggressive and loud, not what the harborer of the Hulk needed. Which was fair enough. Steve too, not a fan, though he wasn't big on music anyway. Adn Natasha, she preferred classic music over modern. Sam liked them alright, though not at the volume Tony preferred. And Hope just generally didn't like music when she was at work because it was distracting to her.

Clint however, he would stay. Regardless of what music Tony blasted at what volume. In fact, when Tony would go _really_ loud, Clint would always have a smile for him. And no, that was just a random bit of information, it had no significance. It didn't _mean_ anything to Tony when Clint smiled at him in that teasing, crooked kind of way. Any fluttering in his heart was due to a malfunction of the arc reactor or something like that, nothing else.

/break\

Natasha had one eyebrow raised as she took a sip from her coffee. It was still quite early. Sam and Steve had just gotten back from their morning jog and they were currently bickering over what to make for breakfast. Natasha had already been awake for two hours, training. It was however rare for Clint to be up this early. Yet here he was, sitting opposite Nat and grinning into his mug.

"AC/CD? Is that Tony's mug?", asked Natasha with a frown.

Clint shook his head at her, a smug look on his face. "Mine. He gave it to me."

"You've been wearing an AC/DC shirt yesterday too", noted Sam curiously. "I thought you didn't like them. Don't tell me Tony converted you, huh?"

"Awful music", replied Clint casually. "But Tony's been giving me stuff? I'm not gonna decline it."

"You could buy your own clothes and then they would actually advertise what you like", offered Steve slightly bemused. "You shouldn't abuse Tony's generous nature like that."

"What? Abuse-", echoed Clint irritated. "I'm not-"

Natasha raised her eyebrows curiously at that. How very interesting. Clint was hoarding AC/DC merchandise not because he liked it but because he liked the person he got it from. _Tony_. She filed that information away for later usage, knowing fully well it was going to be _very_ useful.

/break\

Hope smiled as she listened to Bruce's latest theory on their way to the workshop. Though she was only listening with one ear, if she was being honest. Her main focus was on what Natasha had told her. The two women had grown quite close. Partially through sparring with each other and partially due to being the only female team-members. That _did_ forge a tight bond; they were fighting hard in a boys' world. And while they were both tough in nature, it wasn't easy that they were _never_ allowed any weakness, to a far greater extend than the men.

Anyway, Natasha had cued her in on something very interesting. Apparently, Clint had a _crush_ on Tony. Now, Hope was rather close to Tony. Surprisingly enough. Then again, Hope had always opposed her father and she knew what it was like to stand in her father's shadow so when meeting the Avengers, she had given Tony Stark the benefit of the doubt. He was as much Howard Stark as Hope was Hank Pym. The two scientists had hit it off pretty well from the get-go.

So while Natasha provided intel from Clint's side, Hope was supposed to poke around and see what Tony's opinion on it all was – and if Tony was even _aware_ of what was happening around him.

"Tony, can we please turn down the music?", asked Bruce gently and a bit amused.

When Tony was really in the zone, he was in another plane of existence really. It was fascinating to watch and even quite charming. Hope remembered all the press coverage on Tony Stark throughout the year. The playboy, the drinker. No one ever showed Tony Stark, in a ratty tank-top with holes in it and grease in his hair, grinning like a maniac as he gently talked to his bots and invented things that threw them all decades ahead of their time. The narrative really mattered.

"Su—ure thing, Brucie-bear. Jay, you heard the man." Tony sighed forlorn as the music dimmed down. "Why can't you all appreciate a good AC/DC like Clint does?"

Hope raised her eyebrows and exchanged a look with Bruce. "You really don't know that he doesn't even like AC/DC, huh?"

"What? No. Of course he likes it. He's been wearing the shirt this morning!", argued Tony.

"The shirt _you_ gave him", tagged Bruce on, a little amused.

"...So?", asked Tony confused and sat down on his bench.

Hope sighed and shook her head. "Tony, if you want to get _your boyfriend_ clothes, get him clothes of a band he actually likes, because this... isn't one."

"But he always stays, regardless of how loud I play it?", asked Tony, not minding the boyfriend comment for now because he was still too confused. "He never complains about it."

"...But you _do_ know that he's deaf, right?", asked Hope very slowly. "That he just turns off his hearing aids when he doesn't want to hear something. Mostly Cap's debriefings. And this."

The way Tony stared at her told Hope that Tony did in fact not know this. Bruce shook his head before he went to his work, giving Tony the time to digest this information.

/break\

Clint blinked a little confused when he found a glaring small genius blocking his way. It was hard to take pouting Tony seriously because he was just... so short? Glaring was more effective when glared _down_ at someone, not _up_ at someone. All Clint wanted to do was pet Tony's hair (it was very fluffy. Good for petting), but he had learned his lesson. Last time he did that when Tony was furious, no electronics in the entire place had worked for Clint. The toaster, the washing machine, the dryer, the remote, nothing at all, not even the damn internet connection. Never again.

"How did you never tell me you're deaf?", asked Tony, gesturing widely at Clint.

"I... generally don't _advertise_ it?", countered Clint a bit confused.

"Well. Yes. I mean-", started Tony frustrated, gesturing even more now as he started pacing. "I'm Tony _Stark_. You're walking around with those... _mediocre_ hearing aids and you never thought of telling me that you're deaf? I could have whipped you up something proper _years_ ago!"

Tony moved on to poking Clint in an accusatory manner into the chest. This whole exchange was utterly confusing for the archer, so he decided to move on toward the kitchen, having the genius trail after him. Was Tony angry with him for not sharing this? That seemed... odd.

"Wait", grunted Clint as he realized, slowly turning around to look at Tony. "Are you angry because you think I... don't trust your tech, since I didn't ask you to build me something?"

Tony looked like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie-jar. "I... No? I just... As your team-mate, I think you should have the best of everything. That, of course, includes hearing aids."

Clint hummed and tilted his head. "Honestly, I just... never thought of it? I've had these hearing aids for years now, they've just been... a part of me, for me, mostly. I never really thought about Stark Tech _upgrades_ of them. And, in my line of work, I've learned not to draw too much attention to them. When people hear I'm deaf, they like to conclude I'm not fit to be a spy, an Avenger."

Tony frowned at him. "I... get that. But I want to... _help_."

It made Clint smile a little. Oh, he loved this small genius so much. Every time Tony had a new idea how to improve Clint's arrows or armor, he'd be _so excited_ – well, with everything of everyone. And even when Clint didn't understand half the things Tony said in explanation, it was so captivating to listen to him. It made Clint wonder for a moment why he had never told Tony.

"I lost my hearing when I was a teen. It was a crazy circus accident", explained Clint softly. "It was... hard, at first. But with the hearing aids, most of the time... I don't even think on it. Or, I try not to. Ever since I entered SHIELD, I had to work against people who thought I'd prove too much a risk on the field – what if the aids fail, what if no one can contact me anymore then. Not to mention a potential lack of communication in general then. Nat was the first person who learned ASL _for me_, specifically. Just so she could tell the agent who had voiced those doubts to fuck off in ASL. Because it's a language that _exists_, that people would just have to _learn_."

Clint paused and jumped onto the kitchen counter, grabbing an apple. "Kids at school, they're encouraged to learn Spanish or French or... or _Latin_, which is like dead, you know. And that's cool. Languages are cool. But no where are they encouraged to learn ASL, a language that's literally the _only_ means of communication for many people in the US."

Chewing on his apple, Clint watched how Tony sat down, staring at Clint in curious wonder and just listening, which was somehow a nice change from the usual. "It was how Nat and I became a team, you know. After that, we went on a mission together and... ASL actually proves to be really handy for spies, what do you know. Not being required to _talk_, or be in hearing distance, to communicate can actually be really useful. Shesh."

With a small smile of his own did Tony tilt his head. "So, why do you always smile when I play AC/DC then, if you don't even like it and turn your hearing aids off?"

"Who snitched?", sputtered Clint. "Was it Nat? No, Nat loves me."

"Actually, it were Hope and Bruce. Now, what do you have to say for yourself?", asked Tony. "Because I think I get now why you didn't tell me you were deaf, but why would you take _all_ of that AC/DC merch and let me blast my music if you don't even like it?"

"Well, those are two different questions", started Clint defensively. "I let you blast your music, because... it doesn't _bother_ me. I can just turn off my hearing aids and let you have your fun. I know it makes you _happy_ to listen to your music, so there's that."

The blush suited Tony. "...Okay. That's... nice. But, doesn't explain the AC/DC hoodie you are _literally_ wearing right now, Barton."

"It's cozy?", shrugged Clint. "Besides, it's rude to decline a gift."

"...Sure", grunted Tony, not buying a word his friend was saying.

Clint's eyes widened when he saw Natasha poking her head around the corner of the kitchen with a deadly death-glare. She signed _Tell him it's time_ before crossing her arms over her chest in a very definite gesture, just standing there in the doorway behind Tony. Steve, Hope and Sam stuck their heads out to peek in curiously too. Clint made a face at them, confusing Tony.

"Okay, so maybe I accept them because they're from _you_", grunted Clint with an edge of defensiveness. "It's... nice. A lot like, _you know_."

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking", huffed Tony a bit frustrated.

"Like wearing your boyfriend's clothes, that's what it is", whispered Hope.

"Because he lo—oves you", whispered Steve.

"He wants to date you, he wants to kiss you-", tagged Sam on in a sing-sang voice.

"Okay. Enough. You're like children", grunted Natasha unimpressed, ushering the Avengers off.

Tony stared startled at them before he turned back toward Clint. The archer was properly flustered by this, covering his face with one hand and muttering to himself about what he had done to deserve any of this. Sure, he had pranked Hope by putting pink dye in her shampoo last week and _maybe_ he had painted over Steve's shield with hearts and _perhaps_ there had been that one incident where he had replaced Sam's favorite vanilla pudding with mayonnaise, but _still_ he did not deserve this.

"You like me? _Why_? How? When? What?", asked Tony stunned.

"Believe me, it was as much a shock for me as it is for you now", drawled Clint dryly. "But you're... _you_. Not the press you I was debriefed on. The _real_ you. The cute, excitable genius with the heart of gold who does everything for everyone he cares about."

"So... you... want to go on a date?", asked Tony unsure. "I mean, is that-"

"Yes", interrupted Clint and nodded wildly. "Only if you-"

"If I may interrupt, Miss van Dyne has taken the liberty to booking a table at sir's favorite restaurant for today, 7PM. Doctor Banner assures you that if anything comes up, 'the Big Guy will take care of it' so you should not worry about anything", interrupted Jarvis.

"...When did they...", muttered Tony surprised.

"After your conversation last night", replied Jarvis.

/break\

Clint looked very pleased in his Iron Man hoodie, drinking out of his Iron Man mug. This was the _perfect_ compromise. Instead of merchandise of things he wasn't interested in, Clint now got merchandise of something he was _very_ interested in. His _boyfriend_. Okay, okay, some merch was also of the other Avengers, but most of Clint's things now were Iron Man themed.

"I finished them!", exclaimed Tony as he came running into the kitchen.

A bit startled, Clint looked up at the very excited looking genius before being handed... hearing aids. Smaller than his, less obvious. And with a Stark Tech logo on them. Clint blinked surprised.

"Wait, Tony. Did you seriously...", muttered Clint.

"Of course", huffed Tony nearly offended. "My boyfriend needs to have the best of the best. And I've been meaning on branching more out."

Clint took a moment to appreciate the effort and time that must have gone into this – was this the secret project that had Tony locked into his lab alone lately? Even _without_ Clint. To make it a surprise? What a total dork. Grinning tentatively, Clint took his old hearing aids out before putting the new ones in. Tony tilted his head like a curious puppy, watching him eagerly.

"How is it? Does it work? Is it comfortable?", asked Tony anxiously.

"It's _perfect_. Like everything else you do, Tones", answered Clint fondly.

He got up and pulled Tony into a hug, kissing him softly. In the background, Sam made gagging noises that somehow, Clint could hear even clearer than with his old aids.

"_Shove it, jealousy doesn't suit you, Wilson_", signed Tony over Clint's shoulder.

The entire team had learned ASL in the past weeks, after Tony suggested it, echoing Clint's words about him and Natasha. Nat had taught them and while some had picked it up quickly – Tony and, surprisingly so, Steve – others, such as Sam, struggled more with it. Sam huffed at them.

"You don't have to be all cute in front of my breakfast though", grunted Sam.

Tony grinned broadly, hanging off Clint's neck. "Can't help it. I'm always cute."

"That you are", agreed Clint fondly, kissing Tony's cheek. "Thank you, Tones."

_~*~ The End ~*~_

* * *

_Author's note: This was fun! I especially love finding ways to avoid Civil War from happening so I can keep the whole team together. And honestly, the take that Wanda picked someone who was anti Stark to build something against the Avengers would make so much more of a good movie than taking THE SECOND Avengers movie to ALREADY tear the team apart and make them distrust each other. We all deserved three whole, good actual team movies, ya know._

_Anyway, this was born as a prompt on tumblr, because I want to write more Marvel but there are so many ships I wanna try that it became hard focusing on WHAT and also on where to start so the prompts have been helping me get some initial Marvel stuff outta my system! If there's some shiny Marvel prompt and Tony ship you'd like to see, feel free to drop me a prompt at **takaraphoenix**! ;)_


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